A YOUNG rock band were been offered a once-in-a lifetime chance to play with original Beatles drummer Pete Best 15 years ago.

Freefall were set to play two gigs at the prestigious Cavern club venue — the place where it all started for the Fab Four in Liverpool.

The local band had been wowing crowds since they formed a year earlier.

And the gang of four couldn't wait for their upcoming shows in the home of the rock ‘n’ roll legends.

The band was made up of Sean “Precious” Gillies, 15, of Double Hedges Road, Neilston, Gerard “Geraldo” Smith, 15, of Grahamston Road, Barrhead, and Colin “Coliness” 16, and his younger brother Ewan “Stewart” Smith, 14, of Clarkston.

Drummer Sean and his dad first met Pete Best at a Beatles exhibition in Liverpool in 2002.

Then at an memorabilia show at the SECC a year later, Pete remembered the pair.

They gave him a couple of CDs of music and Pete, who was replaced by Ringo Starr just before the Beatles hit the big time, told them it was amazing for their age.

Sean added: “I went to Liverpool as a little boy and got quite excited and was wearing a little Beatles cap. But I never thought I would be playing there.

“I was having a joke with Pete about taking him on and he said he was going to have to start practising again. That would be great playing with Pete Best.”

Pete and his two brothers were setting up a new studio and Freefall were invited to record in the facility when they visited.

The boys of Freefall also performed at Eastwood Theatre before heading down to Liverpool in November.

Their influences included Fleetwood Mac, The Police, Santana, and of course the Beatles.

Singer/guitarist Gerard said: “Most people compare us to Green Day. We do quite a variety of music, mostly quite punky. We don’t really expect the money so all we have done this band for is the music.

“Most people are surprised at the quality of our music. It’s great when people come up and compliment us. When they see us on stage they think we are just kids.”

It all started when Sean’s love for music, which he inherited from his former band member dad, turned into a desire for his own, with pal Gerard.

Then dad Gary asked his best friend from school who had two boys in Clarkston and suddenly Freefall were formed.

The group have already made recordings, mostly through Clarkston-based Riverside Studio, and even a video of their tune 'Superman'.